Former Controller of Stamford Company Charged with Embezzling More Than $1 Million

U.S. Attorney’s Office
February 14, 2013

District of Connecticut(203) 821-3700

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that THOMAS J. TUREY, 63, of Norwalk, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, from 1995 until January 2013, TUREY served as the controller for a market research company located in Stamford. As controller, TUREY’s responsibilities included aggregating the company’s monthly revenue and expense results, managing the company’s accounts receivable, performing financial analysis and reporting, and overseeing the company’s bookkeeper. TUREY also was responsible for the company’s general ledger and was in charge of conducting the company’s bank reconciliations. Between 2010 and 2012, TUREY wrote approximately 100 checks totaling approximately $1.2 million to himself from his employer’s principal operating account and deposited the checks into his personal bank account. The majority of the embezzled funds were subsequently transferred into TUREY’s online brokerage account.

The complaint further alleges that TUREY has embezzled additional funds from his employer. The investigation is ongoing.

TUREY surrendered today to the FBI in Bridgeport. He appeared before United States Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport and was released on a $300,000 bond.

The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul A. Murphy.